Injection ampoules for several media and intended to be used once



July 28, 1959 w. HUTTERMANN 2,896,622

INJECTION AMPouLEs FOR SEVERAL MEDIA AND INTENDEDTO B5.- usn ONCE Filed May 17, 1955 ampoule.

INJECTION AMPOULES FOR SEVERAL MEDIA `AND INTENDED T0 BE USED ONCE nWilli Httermann, Eilendorf, Germany, assigner to Chemie Grunenthal G.m.b.H., Stolberg, Germany, a lrody corporate of Germany j Application May 17, 1955, Serial N0. '508,871

; Claims priority, application Germany May 20, 1954 `2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-272) United States PatentO fsistingyof two components, usually one liquid component v and one solid component, to be mixed only immediately prior to injection, since the mixtures do not keep indefinitely. This problems has previously been solved, for example by the two media being supplied in separate ampoules, which are sometimes united to form a double `When using these known ampoules, Vit is necessary for the doctor rst of all to draw up the liquid medium by means of a conventional injection syringe and squirt it into the ampoule containing the dry medium, whereupon the two components are mixed and the resulting mixture must then be drawn into the syringe again. This operation takes considerable time, and comparatively high technical skill is necessary. Furthermore, because of the various manipulations to be carried out, there is no absolute guarantee as regards sterility.

Ampoules are also already known consisting of a narrow glass tube which is constricted at a point between its ends and which is closed at the two ends by plugs; an intermediate plug at the constricted portion produces a separation of the ampoule space into two parts. Consequently, three plugs altogether are necessary in order to sub-divide the ampoule into two chambers disposed one after the other. The two media are mixed by forcing 'one end plug which closes the-liquid chamber by a special plunger rod a small distance into the ampoule so that a positive pressure is set up in the liquid chamber, this pressure loosening the intermediate plug in its seating. The two media are then mixed by shaking. After completion of the mixing operation, the prepared injection solution is drawn up with a conventional syringe or the double ampoule is placed in an injection device and the solution injected directly.

With these ampoules having an intermediate closure, and especially when the latter has been tted too loosely, there is the danger that during storage some of the liquid medium will penetrate through the plug and become mixed with the solid medium. Moreover, it s difficult to empty such ampoules completely when the injection solution is not extracted by suction.

Finally, double ampoules are also known which ccntain a diaphragm between the two compartments to be separated or which consist of two fused glass members in which the two media are caused to come into contact by positive pressure or by breaking a point of weakness.

The present invention relates to an injection ampoule having two separate chambers for accommodating two different media which are to be injected after they are mixed. The two chambers are separated from one another and shut olf towards the exterior by means of a single closure plug `serving simultaneously as a plunger. The chamber receiving the liquid is preferably made convex or bulged, so that its outside wall can be used for a support for the index nger and the middle finger at the time of injection.

lIn order to carry out an injection, a plunger rod is screwed into the plug and the latter is retracted slightly so that the liquid medium can iiow into the other chamber containing the powder. The plug is then pushed back to its initial position again and the liquid is mixed with the solid substance.

A protecting sheath which surrounds the cannula and also a mandrel which is litted into the injection needle and Iwhich prevents premature obstruction of the cannula, are then removed and the injection ampoule is ready for injection purposes.

Both the Sterilisation and the sterile emptying of the media into the prepared ampoule are carried out by the manufacturer, so that the doctor receives an ampoule which is ready for immediate use and with which he is able to give an absolutely sterile injection after mixing the two media. In addition, the use of the ampoule in accordance with the invention results ,in a considerable saving in time for the doctor.

Several embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional View of an injection ampoule in accordance with the invention, while Fig. 2 shows another c'onstructional form and Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment with a separate cannula closure.

In Fig. 1, 1 represents an ampoule body made of a material which can be satisfactorily sterilised. A chamber Z serves to accommodate the dry preparation and a bulged chamber 3 the liquid medium. The chambers 2 and 3 are tightly separated from one another and from the outside air during the time of storage by the sealing portions 5 and 6 on a plug 4 made of resilient material.

The injection ampoule can either be placed in an injection device and the plug moved backwards and forwards by a plunger rod (not shown) which is guided in the member and screwed into an internal screw thread 7, or a separate plunger can be screwed into the plug 4 and the injection can be carried out without an injection device, in which case the supporting surface 11 serves as a handle or rest for the index iinger and the middle nger.

Fitted into the injection cannula is a mandrel 8 which prevents the cannula being contaminated during storage and during the mixing is connected at 9 to a protective sheath 10, so that the mandrel 8 is automatically withdrawn with the sheath when the latter is detached.

In Fig. 2, the sealing portions 5 and 6 are slightly different from one another in diameter (5 is somewhat smaller than 6) in order to reduce the friction of the plug 4 during the injection, in which the sealing point 6 is solely operative, and to provide easier operation.

In Fig. 3, the injection cannula is not enclosed as in Fig. 1 by a protective sheath 10 which is rigidly connected at 9 to the mandrel 8, but the injection cannula is surrounded by a plunger rod 12 which is of hollow construction and capable of being sterilised. In order to make the ampoule ready for use, the hollow plunger rod '12 is withdrawn from a packing or sealing surface 15 of the ampoule and is screwed by means of a screw thread 13 into the internal thread 7 of the plug 4. The plug 4 is then retracted a very small distance by means of the rod 12 so that the liquid can ilow from the chamber 3 into the lower chamber 2 with the point of the cannula directed downwardly. The plug 4 is then pushed back to its original position, the liquid and the solid substance are mixed by shaking, and only then is the mandrel 8, which is iitted with a closing action into the cannula bore and is connected to the plug 14, for example by vulcanisation, withdrawn by means of the plug 14. The plug 14 is supported by the abutment 16 of rod 12 as shown in Figure 3.

gequipped, for example, with a conical external surface.

By` this means the'necessary sealing of the cannula, which Yis forced with its point 17 into the plug 14, is obtained during the period of storage. The maximum outside diameter of the plug 14 is smaller than the internal dimension of the plunger rod 12, so that when the plunger rod 12 is withdrawn, thecannula bore initially remains tightly closed by the mandrel 8 in conjunction with the plug 14.

What I claim is:

1. An injection ampouleV for a number of media and intended to be used once, comprising chambers intended to accommodate different media, a single unitary resilient plug ywhich separates said chambers from one another, shuts the chambers off towards the exteriorand serves as an injection plunger, a cannula having a bore connected to one of said chambers, a mandrel fitting into said bore of said cannula, a sealing plug connected to said mandrel, sealing the outlet end of said cannula, and a hollow plunger rod surrouding said cannula, said hollow plunger rod being provided with an abutment serving to hold said sealing plug in fixed sealing position.

2. An injection ampoule for a number of media and intended to be used once comprising a chamber having a substantially uniform interior diameter intended to accommodate a rst medium, a second chamber intended to accommodate a second medium adjacent to said rst chamber having a larger interior diameter than said rst chamber, a tube of substantially uniform interior diameter of smaller interior diameter than that of the second chamber extending from the end of said second chamber opposite to said first chamber, said tubular extension being coaxial with said rst chamber and having an interior diameter from slightly `less than to substantially the same as that of said irst chamber and a single unitary resilient plug which serves as an injection plunger extending through said second chamber and engaging the interior surfaces of said rst chamber and said tubular exJ tension to separate said chambers from one another and shut the chambers oi from the exterior.

References Cited in the iile of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 791,802 De Lisle June 6, 1905 1,100,799 Y Wedig June 23, 1914 2,549,417 Brown Apr. 17, 1951 2,591,046 Brown Apr'. 1, 1952 2,693,803 Ogle Nov. 9, 1954 2,717,601 Brown Sept. 13, 1955 2,761,447 HerseeV Sept. 4, V1956 

